THE APPROACH TO GRACE IS KINDNESS

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Topic: Fruit of the Holy Spirit & God’s Promises for All Our every Needs

Love God, Love People, and Make Disciples,

Pastor Elias Aguilar Busuego Jr PhD DTM

Founding Pastor – Home Fellowship Churches – https://homefellowshipchurches.org

The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – KINDNESS #4

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things.” [Galatians 5:22-23 NLT]

We need to understand that love is the first characteristic of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is well placed at the head of the list, for it permeates all the rest of the attributes. Somehow, if we live a life of love, the other virtues will attend us all the days of our lives. Love is the key that unlocks the entire fruit basket of Galatians 5:22-23, as well as permeating 1 Corinthians 13.

David to Abigail – Blessed be the Lord God of Israel

In 1 Samuel 25:32-34 NLT says, “32 David replied to Abigail, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today! 33 Thank God for your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murder and from carrying out vengeance with my own hands. 34 For I swear by the Lord, the God of Israel, who has kept me from hurting you, that if you had not hurried out to meet me, not one of Nabal’s men would still be alive tomorrow morning.”

One of the unique characteristics of the Hebrew faith was the conviction that God was at work in the common events of life as well as the extraordinary. David, as he shows here, had a remarkable, built-in faith in the living, acting God. Insulted and angered by Nabal, he had been on the eve of perpetrating a crime. Abigail’s timely speech has changed his mind, bringing him to his senses.

David blesses Abigail for her good judgment and for keeping him from bloodshed when he was in a mood for self-willed vengeance. Kindness is a virtue that sometimes arrives only after we have enjoyed being as mad as we really wanted to be for as long as wanted to be.

Abigail reminded David that vengefully killing our enemies is not a measure of the kindness of God. Martin Luther wrote that Jesus’ kindness is but God’s approach to grace and that we would do well to emulate our Lord Jesus Christ’s kindness.

Our Lord Jesus Christ gives us faith with all its benefits, and we are to give our neighbor love with all its benefits. We may ask then what are the good works that we should do for our neighbor. They have no name. Just as the good works, which our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us, have no name, they have no name for this reason, lest they be divided and this done and that left undone. Rather, we must give ourselves to our neighbor utterly, just as Christ did not confine Himself to prayer and fasting for us …

So, this is not our good work, that we should give alms or pray, but rather that we should give ourselves entirely to our neighbor, as he/she needs and as we can, with alms, prayer, fasting, counsel, comfort, teaching, appeal, reproof, pardon, clothes, food, and also suffering and death on his/her behalf. But tell me, where in all Christendom are such works?

Luther was asking where kindness exists in our world. It is noticeably infrequent. Where are the “Abigails” who stay our hands and tempers and beg us to be kind to our enemies? Wouldn’t such kindness make a place for God’s grace in a world that is looking to be loved and finding very few lovers? Yes! Amen!

The king of Egypt to Hebrew Midwives

In Exodus 1:15-22 NLT says, “15 Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah: 16 “When you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver. If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.” 17 But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too. 18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives. “Why have you done this?” he demanded. “Why have you allowed the boys to live?” 19 “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women,” the midwives replied. “They are more vigorous and have their babies so quickly that we cannot get there in time.” 20 So God was good to the midwives, and the Israelites continued to multiply, growing more and more powerful. 21 And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own. 22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Throw every newborn Hebrew boy into the Nile River. But you may let the girls live.”

The king of Egypt is a cruel Pharaoh and was probably either Thutmose III (early date) or Rameses II (later date), a successor to the “new king” of Exodus 1:8. His incredibly cruel edict of infanticide was no more effective in thwarting God’s multiplication of the Hebrews than the oppression of his successor (Exodus 1:20). Because the midwives feared God rather than man (Exodus 1:17), God blessed them, too (Exodus 1:20, 21). In desperation, Pharaoh ordered all the Hebrew boy babies thrown alive into the Nile to drown or be eaten by crocodiles (Exodus 1:22). But this only resulted in the eventual adoption of Moses, the deliverer, by the very daughter of Pharaoh (Exodus 2:1-10)! The disobedience of the midwives (Exodus 1:17) illustrates an important lesson – believers should obey all the laws of the land except when they violate God’s moral or written laws (cf. Acts 4:19). Pharaoh did not regard the birth of girls as being a threat to Egypt, so they could live. Ironically, as Acts 2:1 report, it was a daughter of the tribe of Levi who gave birth to Moses, Israel’s future leader and liberator (Cassuto).

The Hebrew midwives feared God, and that reverence led to their kind acts to others. However, their kindness caused them to risk their lives by defying a royal decree. To cover their acts, they told a little white lie to the king of Egypt – those Hebrew women are vigorous and short labor time, so their babies are born before a midwife is needed. God blessed the midwives for their lifesaving acts and showed kindness to them for their kindnesses.

Kindness in a brutal world is always as refreshing as it is surprising. The kindness shown in this passage has said its prayers and has been instilled with courage. Kindness that practices grace in a world where grace is forbidden is definitely God’s sort of kindness. Amen!

King Josiah Experienced the Kindness of God

In 2 Chronicles 34:19-28 NLT says, “19 When the king heard what was written in the Law, he tore his clothes in despair. 20 Then he gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary, and Asaiah the king’s personal adviser: 21 “Go to the Temple and speak to the Lord for me and for all the remnant of Israel and Judah. Inquire about the words written in the scroll that has been found. For the Lord’s great anger has been poured out on us because our ancestors have not obeyed the word of the Lord. We have not been doing everything this scroll says we must do.”

22 So, Hilkiah and the other men went to the New Quarter of Jerusalem to consult with the prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, the keeper of the Temple wardrobe. 23 She said to them, “The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken! Go back and tell the man who sent you, 24 ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this city and its people. All the curses written in the scroll that was read to the king of Judah will come true. 25 For my people have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to pagan gods, and I am very angry with them for everything they have done. My anger will be poured out on this place, and it will not be quenched.’

26 “But go to the king of Judah who sent you to seek the Lord and tell him: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the message you have just heard: 27 You were sorry and humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this city and its people. You humbled yourself and tore your clothing in despair and wept before me in repentance. And I have indeed heard you, says the Lord. 28 So I will not send the promised disaster until after you have died and been buried in peace. You yourself will not see the disaster I am going to bring on this city and its people.’”
So, they took her message back to the king.”

The account of Josiah’s reign (640–609 B.C.) can be divided into his eight years of rule (2 Chronicles 34:3) followed by his four years of seeking the Lord (2 Chronicles 34:3). Those years were followed by a nationwide six-year purging of idolatry (2 Chronicles 34:3-7) and a subsequent cleansing and rebuilding of the temple (2 Chronicles 34:8-13).

King Josiah’s response to finding the Law of Moses (2 Chronicles 34:14; cf. 2 Kings 22:8-13) resulted in the prophetic speeches by Hilkiah the high priest and Huldah the prophetess that stated why the nation would fall (2 Chronicles 34:21, 25) and why Josiah’s reign would be spared destruction (2 Chronicles 34:26-28). Even in the shadow of certain destruction, it was important to do right before God. The tension between undergoing consequences for past sins and at the same time maintaining obedience to God was something that the returned exiles had to endure and learn from.

Second Chronicles 35 ties together the key elements of Israel’s faith: obedience according to David, Solomon (2 Chronicles 35:4), and Moses (2 Chronicles 35:6), all mediated according to the command of the present king, Josiah (2 Chronicles 35:16). Hezekiah’s Passover celebration was linked to the time of Solomon (2 Chronicles 30:26), while Josiah’s Passover looked back to the time of Samuel (2 Chronicles 35:18).

The ark, which apparently was removed from the temple during the apostasy of Amon or Manasseh, was returned to the temple (2 Chronicles 35:3).

For a discussion of Josiah’s intentions in fighting the king of Egypt (2 Chronicles 35:20), In 2 Kings 23:29 – Pharaoh Neco of Egypt was marching through Judah to Assyria. Egypt and Assyria had formed an alliance to battle Babylon, which was threatening to become the dominant world power. Josiah may have thought that both nations would turn on him after the battle with Babylon, so he tried to stop Egypt’s army from marching through his land. But Josiah was killed, his army was defeated, and the nation of Judah became a vassal state of Egypt (609 B.C.).

Megiddo (2 Chronicles 35:22) was a fortress city in the Jezreel Valley that guarded an important pass-through Mount Carmel to the coastal plain.

In 2 Chronicles 35:20-25 states, “Josiah Dies in Battle” – “20 After Josiah had finished restoring the Temple, King Neco of Egypt led his army up from Egypt to do battle at Carchemish on the Euphrates River, and Josiah and his army marched out to fight him. 21 But King Neco sent messengers to Josiah with this message: “What do you want with me, king of Judah? I have no quarrel with you today! I am on my way to fight another nation, and God has told me to hurry! Do not interfere with God, who is with me, or He will destroy you.” 22 But Josiah refused to listen to Neco, to whom God had indeed spoken, and he would not turn back. Instead, he disguised himself and led his army into battle on the plain of Megiddo. 23 But the enemy archers hit King Josiah with their arrows and wounded him. He cried out to his men, “Take me from the battle, for I am badly wounded!” 24 So they lifted Josiah out of his chariot and placed him in another chariot. Then they brought him back to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried there in the royal cemetery. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him. 25 The prophet Jeremiah composed funeral songs for Josiah, and to this day choirs still sing these sad songs about his death. These songs of sorrow have become a tradition and are recorded in The Book of Laments. 26 The rest of the events of Josiah’s reign and his acts of devotion (carried out according to what was written in the Law of the Lord), 27 from beginning to end – all are recorded in The Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.

In 2 Chronicles 35:20 Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish – The history behind this verse is now almost generally held by scholars to be this: In 612 B.C. the deteriorating Assyrian Empire came to an end with the fall of its capital, Nineveh, to the Babylonians. However, it was still fighting, and its sizeable army was based on the Upper Euphrates River at Carchemish. Neco of Egypt was the third king in a line established on the throne there by Esarhaddon of Assyria and supported by him in exchange for loyalty to Assyria.

But now, in 609 B.C., Neco saw his chance to make a move to enlarge his kingdom and its wealth and influence, and he grabbed some Philistine cities, notably Gaza and Ashkelon, as bases for further operations in Syria. His plan was to join the Assyrian army and help it defeat the now more dangerous Babylonians (Kitchen; Bright). If he could bring about a stalemate in Mesopotamia, Neco undoubtedly figured he could establish Egypt as the overlord of Palestine and Syria. As his plans became clearer to Josiah, the reformer-king whose hatred of Assyria for past tyrannies was deep, and to whom Assyria’s destruction was desirable, He made a move to intercept the Egyptian army before it could reach the Assyrian forces. The outcome was fatal to him.

The chronicler saw these events differently. To him this tragic event did not proceed from any unfaithfulness in the divine promise, but from the state into which the kingdom of Judah had brought itself by the national backsliding from complete obedience to God and trust in Him. This disloyalty was bringing down upon Judah the long-threatened but long-deferred judgments of God. Chapter 35 and Verses 21, 22 are not found in Kings. To some scholars they reflect an attempt on the chronicler’s part to explain how – contrary to his view of retributory justice – a truly good king could come to so disastrous an end. His answer:

It was the hand of God, and Josiah had failed to hear God’s word even though it came from an unexpected source (Williamson). This answer conforms to the chronicler’s belief that every misfortune of Judah or its king was a direct punishment from the Lord. In this connection, see Huldah’s oracle (2 Chronicles 34:24-28).

King Josiah was spared. When he wept before God and confessed his sins, God granted him a reprieve from punishment. Josiah knew God’s kindness. When we consider God’s redeeming love in our own lives, we are able to separate the smaller, everyday kindnesses of God from the truly great kindness of being spared from punishment for our sins. That is the grace of God and the kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Kindness and grace are sisters, if not identical twins.

King Josiah experienced the kindness of God firsthand. He understood God’s kindness when he became the recipient of God’s grace. Josiah knew his people and nation had sinned and forgotten God. Yet this king received incredible news from God: Josiah would be spared from disaster. His humility and contrition had led to forgiveness. God demonstrated grace to Josiah through these simple words, “I have heard you.”

Grace saves us. But how different is grace from kindness? Distinguish them for us if they can. But after we have tried, we will still, like Josiah, often find them indistinguishable.  Amen!

Gracious Woman Gains Respect

In Proverbs 11:16-17 NLT says, “16 A gracious woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth. 17 Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you.“

Pair on being kind or cruel. Honor supports kind women as money supports ruthless men (strong—KJV). Merciful – Loyal and faithful man (Hebrews khesedh), as opposed to the cruel. Such benefit themselves by doing good to others (cf. Proverbs 24:5), while the cruel injure themselves as well as others.

Kind women and kind men make a kind world. This is the approach of these two proverbs. They teach us that kindness is the demonstration that we are truly human beings. Isn’t it nice that this one virtue, kindness, can make us appear to be human beings and at the same time open our world to be evangelized?            

This passage uses the word ruthless, and ruthless is a word that not only isn’t kind, but also is actually cruel. Kind people care when those around them hurt. Ruthless people do not.

Kindness is quite the opposite as it paves the way to grace and to service of others. Grace that saves sometimes waits for kindness to pave the way. If we want to win people to our Lord Jesus Christ, steep ourselves in kindness. Spend no more time memorizing Scripture than we spend kissing the unconscious awake. Amen!

Made Alive with Our Lord Jesus Christ

In Ephesians 2:6-10 NLT says, “6 For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all He has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. 8 God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”

In addition to being given life (Ephesians 2:5), Born-Again Christian believers are also raised from the dead. Our Lord Jesus Christ was raised from death and left the tomb – an act accomplished by God’s power alone. Born-Again Christian believers have also been “raised.” In addition to assurance of physical resurrection and glorification at the end of the age, believers participate in a new “resurrection” life from the moment they believe (see Colossians 2:12).

Finally, Born-Again Christian believers are seated with Him in the heavenly realms. Our Lord Jesus Christ has taken His seat at the right hand of the Father, indicating His finished work and His victory over sin. Our Lord Jesus Christ has been exalted by God’s great power (Ephesians 1:20). Born-Again Christian believers have tended to see this seating with our Lord Jesus Christ as a future event, based on our Lord Jesus Christ’s words in Matthew 19:28 and Luke 22:30 as well as other verses that point to our future reign with our Lord Jesus Christ (such as 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 20:4; 22:5).

Yet Ephesians teaches that we are seated with our Lord Jesus Christ now. We share with our Lord Jesus Christ in His victory now. This view of our present status should help us face our work and trials with greater hope! Born-Again Christian believers, as heirs of the Kingdom along with our Lord Jesus Christ, are spiritually exalted from the moment of salvation. We have a new citizenship – in heaven, no longer just on earth: The power that raised and exalted our Lord Jesus Christ also raised and exalted His people because we are one with Him. That same power works daily in us as Born-Again Christian believers, helping us live and work for God during our time in the world.

Here is the final and definitive reason for God’s action on behalf of humanity, His reason for making us alive, raising us, and seating us along with His Son – our Lord Jesus Christ in the heavenly realms. God wants quite simply to point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of His favor and kindness.

The Greek word for “point to” comes from legal terminology. God closes the case by presenting the astounding evidence of His church, His people. The church could only exist by God’s love; the fact of its existence, the fact that people have been offered salvation, reveals the abundance of God’s favor and kindness (see also Ephesians 1:7; 2:4). Again, this was accomplished only through Christ Jesus, our Lord God. Without our Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, there would be no hope for a relationship with God.

Our salvation comes from God’s special favor alone. It was appropriated when people believed. However, lest anyone should think that belief is a necessary work that must be performed in order to receive salvation, Paul added that people can’t take credit for believing, for it too, is a gift from God. Paul is firm that absolutely nothing is of our own doing – not salvation, not grace, not even the faith exercised to receive salvation. Instead, everything is the gift of God. Salvation does not come from our self-reliance or individualism but from God’s initiative. It is a gift to be thankfully accepted (see Romans 3:24-28; 1 Corinthians 1:29-31; Galatians 2:16).

We can’t take credit for our salvation (Ephesians 2:8), and it is not a reward for the good things we have done. In other words, people can do nothing to earn salvation, and a person’s faith itself also is not to be considered a “work” or grounds that anyone should boast.

People find it difficult to accept something so free, so willingly given, so available to anyone. We want to feel as though we did something, that we somehow earned our salvation by our merit. That was how the Judaizers (false teachers who said Christians had to obey all the Jewish laws) regarded their laws and why they tried to impose them on the Gentiles – there had to be a certain amount of law keeping and goodness on people’s part in order for them to receive salvation.

But Paul’s words are unmistakable – if salvation is by God’s grace and is accepted through faith, then it is “not a reward.” If salvation could be earned by good works, then people would, by nature, “boast” about their good works, compare the goodness of their works to others’ good works, and do good only to boast about it. Then, what would be “good enough” for salvation? But no one could ever be good enough to please a holy God. He casts aside all human effort and pride by offering salvation for free to all people by simple acceptance. People are given salvation on the grounds of God’s grace alone.

But wait, there’s more. We are God’s masterpiece. Salvation is something only God can do – it is His powerful, creative work in us. People are re-created into new people, and those new people form a new creation – the church/fellowship.

The verb created is used only of God – for only God can truly create. As He created the universe from nothing, so He creates new, alive, spiritual beings from the old, dead, sinful creatures we were (2 Corinthians 5:17). Then God forms Born-Again Christian believers into a unified body, His church (see Ephesians 2:15; 4:24; Colossians 3:10). In our Lord Jesus Christ emphasizes the source of this creation, as in Ephesians 2:6-7 – our Lord Jesus Christ has provided it.

People become Born-Again Christians through God’s undeserved favor (His grace), not as the result of any efforts, abilities, intelligent choices, personal characteristics, or acts of service. Out of gratitude for this free gift, however, Born-Again Christian believers will seek to do good things – to help and serve others with kindness, love, and gentleness. While no action or work we do can help us obtain salvation, God’s intention is that our salvation will result in acts of service. We are saved not merely for our own benefit but to serve our Lord Jesus Christ and build up the church (Ephesians 4:12). This solves the so-called conflict between faith and works. Works do not produce salvation but are the evidence of salvation (see James 1:22; 2:14-26).

The Greek word translated do means “to walk about in.” We move ahead in this life of grace doing the good works that God planned for us long ago. The new life that God gives cannot help but express itself in good works. This does not necessarily mean that God has set up all the specific good works each person will do – although there would be no point arguing against the possibility of our omniscient God doing just that. Just as God planned salvation in our Lord Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world, so He planned that Born-Again Christian believers should do good to others (see 1 Timothy 6:18; Titus 2:7; 1 Peter 2:12). Amen!

Now, let’s talk about “Prayer and “Salvation”.

Prayer is the key that unlocks and reveals faith. Effective prayer needs both an attitude of complete dependence and the action of asking. Prayer demonstrates complete reliance on God. Thus, there is no substitute for prayer, especially in situations that seem impossible.

So, let our hearts and minds in tune with God, in the power of God, the Holy Spirit. Let’s continuously and persistently pray for God’s perfect will be done. We as Born-Again Christians have been tried and cleansed, we have moved freely into a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ that is more powerful than it was before our trials. We are at home in the presence and fellowship of God, for we are heirs with our Lord Jesus Christ, more like Him that we could ever have dreamed possible. So, let’s continuously and persistently pray for God’s perfect will be done. Amen!

The principle is that no one has anything of value to bring to God in order to deserve salvation, mercy, justification, or even a second glance from God. The proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored. Acceptance before God cannot be achieved by good deeds, piety, or any amount of self-proclaimed righteousness.

Let’s never get over the effect of God’s saving transformation on people’s lives. People who were lost in sin, filled with anger and bitterness, give up their hatred and become approachable as we have studied and learned last time. That is, of course, why we minister to others. Those of us who minister are not people to whom (fruit of the Holy Spirit) love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control comes naturally. We are people who have been remodeled by grace. We thankfully leave our old natures far behind as we embrace the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, the first of the list > agape love of God, and in our treatment of others. Amen!

Sunday by Sunday as we come to worship, let me encourage our brothers – and sisters-in-Christ, and I want my readers and listeners to be both strong in the faith and sensitive to others’ needs. Because all, we as Born-Again Christian believers are strong in certain areas and weak in others. We constantly need to monitor the effects of our behavior on others.

In these KINDNESS Series of Podcast, we will learn the following PURPOSES of this fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT:

• Learned and knew the world way of thinking
• Learned always to be kind in time of need
• Learned to get angry without sinning by grace
• Learned to approach by grace
• Learn how to apply always the golden rule

On every Podcast, I always have three (3) questions we can answer from only these two (2) Sources: The Bible and the Guidance of the Holy Spirit. The following are:

First is about our > Observation: What do these passages or Scriptures say to you?

Second is about our own > Interpretation: What do these passages or Scriptures mean to you?

Third is about how we can apply > Application: How do the meaning of these passages or Scriptures apply to you or to your situation?

If you are not sure that you are Born-Again Christian believer or you have relatives, loved ones, friends, neighbors, and people in your circle of influence, please take a look and/or guide them to one of our ministries, “An Invitation to Meet Our Lord Jesus Christ” at https://homefellowshipchurches.org/an-invitation-to-meet-our-lord-jesus-christ/

Let’s give an opportunity for the lost souls to experience on being Born-Again Christian as explained by our Lord Jesus Christ in the book of John 3:13 in the New Testament of the Bible.

It is as simple as A, B, & C > Admit, Believe, & Confess. All Born-Again Christian believers prayed this simple prayer we called “Sinner’s Prayer”

“Father God, I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ. I acknowledge and admit that I am a sinner and I need a Savior. I believe and have faith in Jesus Christ who was born of Virgin Mary, died on the Cross for the penalty of my sins, and rose again that I may have the eternal life. I confess and declare Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord of my life. Please comfort, guide, and help me Holy Spirit to live and grow in my spiritual life according to Your Words, purpose, and perfect will of God, in my Lord Jesus Christ name, Amen!”

If you prayed this, “Sinner’s Prayer” sincerely in your heart, you are Born-Again Christian believer. However, you are a spiritual baby who needs to grow up. (See 1 Peter 2:2). You need to find a church or fellowship to grow spiritually. We are glad to establish or bring the fellowship to your own home if it is safer.

Now, let me pray for all of you:

Father God, we come into your presence in our Lord Jesus Christ name, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ for Your agape love and forgiveness you have done on the Cross of Calvary, and continue to intercede for us in prayer. Thank you, Holy Spirit as our Helper and Comforter. Thank you for the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, courage and strength. We cling, yield, plug-in and tune-in to you Holy Spirit to help us understand God’s Words, obey them, receive Your divine revelation, know the Truth that sets us free, and apply them in our lives, in our Lord Jesus Christ name, Amen!”

Let’s praise and worship God in Spirit and in Truth. Give all thanks to God for all answered prayers.

Please send your > Praise Reports (answered prayers) and New Prayer Requests via email to: trinityblessings@homefellowshipchurches.org. God bless you all and our families!

A Call to Repentance and Be Blessed

In Malachi 3:7-15 AMPC says, “7 Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’ 8 “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. 9 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. 10 Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it”, says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” [Malachi 2:2.] 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer (insects and plagues) for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruits before the time in the field,” says the Lord of hosts. 12 “And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight”, says the Lord of hosts.

If the people would obey God, giving as they should, God would flood His people with blessings. There would be an overabundance of God’s blessing if He was given what He requested.

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse – See 2 Chronicles 31:11; cf. 1 Chronicles 26:20; Nehemiah 10:38; 13:5, 12. If the temple storehouses were empty, it was the people’s fault. God had already blessed them with enough to give a little back to Him.

Instead of destroying our crops (blessings), God would make them come in greater abundance than we had ever imagined possible (Amos 4:9; Haggai 2:19; Zechariah 8:12). The devourer – probably referring to locusts, though the word here is general in meaning (Baldwin). In the Near East, locust swarms are known for their ability to damage huge tracts of agricultural land (see note on Joel 1:4).

A delightsome land – All of the blessings promised to Jacob would come to pass if the people would obey God (Deuteronomy 33:29; Zechariah 8:13). Their land would be a delight to all who saw it (Daniel 8:9).

The problem in Malachi 3:7-12 was the people’s departure from God as reflected by their neglect of tithes and offerings. Two annual tithes were required according to Israelite law – one for the Levites (Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:21), and one to be used in worship at the annual feasts in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 14:22). A tithe was required every three years to provide for the needs of the poor (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). There is debate as to whether this tithe for the poor was in addition to or served as a substitute for the tithe used in worship.

The New Testament pattern for tithing is proportionate giving – a person is to give “in relation to what you have earned” (1 Corinthians 16:2). Certainly a tithe should be given proportionate to one’s wealth, but not all proportionate giving is a tithe.

The anticipation of blessing for obedience to God’s command to tithe was based on the Mosaic covenant, which promised blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (Malachi 3:10; cf. Deuteronomy 28:15-68). Generally, God will meet the needs of His own people (Psalm 34:9-10; Philippians 4:19), but that is not an unconditional guarantee. There certainly were and are exceptions. Yet, where God chooses not to provide physically, He gives sufficient grace to go without (2 Corinthians 12:9).

The problem in Malachi 3:14-15 was that the people were guilty of arrogant words against God. They were saying, “There is no prophet who is serving God,” and “God is not concerned about justice.” God responded by showing that He did distinguish between the wicked and the righteous. The righteous would be blessed, and the wicked would be judged.